Running freight across the border and unsure what ELD requirements Canada sets? Federally regulated truck and bus carriers and drivers who were required to maintain a paper daily log must use an ELD tested and certified by an accredited certification body.
This guide is part of our wider eld compliance coverage.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Amendments published in Canada Gazette Part II | June 12, 2019 |
| Start of enforcement | January 2023 |
| Who must use certified ELDs | Federally regulated truck and bus carriers and drivers who had to keep a paper daily log |
| Certification route | Tested and certified by an accredited certification body |
| Fine for keeping more than one record of duty status in a day | $1000 for a driver, $2000 for a carrier |
Figures come from Transport Canada’s questions and answers page on ELDs. Rules and fines can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What the Canadian rule actually requires
Canada’s mandate sits inside the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations. Transport Canada published the amendments on June 12, 2019, in Canada Gazette Part II, to mandate certified ELDs for federally regulated truck and bus motor carriers and drivers who were required to maintain a paper daily log.
The rule is not a general “install any device” order. It targets the carriers and drivers who previously kept a paper record of duty status, and it requires that the device be on the certified path.
The CCMTA Technical Standard for ELDs is incorporated into the Regulations by reference. Transport Canada says it is incorporated “as amended from time to time”, so the version that applies can move on without a new law.
That matters for planning. A device bought today is judged against the Standard as the Regulations apply it, and a later revision can change what certified status requires.
Keeping up with changes to the Standard
Transport Canada says that, following CCMTA approval of the ELD Technical Standard version 1.3, it is leading the implementation and coming into force of that version. It recognizes that ELD providers and certification bodies will need a period of transition before full implementation.
For carriers, a transition period means two things in practice:
- Your current device may stay valid for a while, but ask the vendor for its plan.
- Possible re-certification can follow revisions, and a date is set by which all certified ELDs must meet the new requirements.
- Vendors must tell their certification body about updates or changes to a certified device.
Do not assume a supplier’s marketing page is current. The certified list on Transport Canada’s site is the reference point.
Certification: the biggest difference from the US
Transport Canada says motor carriers and drivers need ELDs that have been tested and certified by an accredited certification body that followed the criteria in the most recent version of the Standard and the Regulations. Details are on the Transport Canada overview page.
Vendors who want a product certified pick an accredited body and enter into an agreement with it. The Electronic Logging Device Test Procedures are then used to certify the device, according to Transport Canada’s certification page.
For a fleet buyer, the practical checks are simple:
- Ask the vendor which accredited body certified the product for Canada.
- Confirm the exact product and software version appears on Transport Canada’s list of certified devices.
- Keep the proof with your compliance files.
- Re-check after major software or hardware changes.
The list of accredited certification bodies is published as a registry, which the certification page tells you to check. Transport Canada’s Q&A page is blunt on the point: only certified ELDs listed on the Transport Canada website meet the requirement of the Regulations.
What the certified list tells you
Once a device is certified, the certification body gives the vendor a certification number. The device then forms part of a list on Transport Canada’s website.
That list includes details a buyer can use:
- Vendor name and product model name and number.
- The version of the technical standard the device complies with.
- Software version, certification body name and certification date.
- Certification number and certification status.
- Whether the device supports mechanical engines, an engine control module, or both.
Match every one of these against what is actually installed in your trucks. A listing for a different software version is not proof your unit is certified.
How Canadian and US rules line up
The Canadian standard is described by Transport Canada as closely aligned with the technical specifications set out in the U.S. rule.
Alignment does not mean one approval covers both countries. A device can meet US technical specifications and still not be certified for Canada, so cross-border carriers should verify the Canadian status separately.
The Standard establishes minimum performance and design specifications for ELDs, and the Canadian mandate sits inside the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations.
What the device records and what drivers still enter
An ELD connects to the electronic control module of a vehicle. Transport Canada says the device automatically records information such as driving time, odometer readings and engine power-up.
Drivers still need to enter some information from their record of duty status, such as on-duty time related to fueling, loading or unloading. Treat the device as a recorder that needs correct driver input, not as a hands-off system.
Under the Regulations, no motor carrier may request, require or allow anyone to enter inaccurate information in a record of duty status, and no person may enter it. The same provision bars falsifying, altering, deleting or destroying the records or supporting documents. How long you must keep those records is covered in our guide to eld record retention.
Enforcement and fines
Transport Canada states that enforcement of the ELD mandate started in January 2023. It also introduced fines to support enforcement, set out in the Contraventions Regulations.
In the extract Transport Canada reproduces, keeping more than one record of duty status for a day carries a fine of $1000 for the driver. Requesting, requiring or allowing a driver to do so carries $2000 for the carrier.
For a broader walk-through, see our piece on eld penalties and fines.
A practical checklist for carriers
- Decide whether your operation is federally regulated and was required to keep a paper daily log.
- Choose a device that is certified through an accredited body, not self-declared.
- Train drivers on the entries they still make themselves.
- Audit logs for inaccurate or duplicate records.
- Re-check Transport Canada’s pages for changes to the Standard or the certified list.
Provincial and territorial rules can differ from the federal ones, so confirm what applies to your operation with the relevant authority. This site is independent and educational and cannot give legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my US ELD in Canada?
Show answer
Only if that exact device is certified for Canada through an accredited certification body. Meeting US specifications is not the same thing, so check Transport Canada’s certified list.
When did the Canadian ELD rule begin?
Show answer
The amendments were published on June 12, 2019, and Transport Canada says enforcement started in January 2023.
Who has to use an ELD in Canada?
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Federally regulated truck and bus motor carriers and drivers who were required to maintain a paper daily log, according to Transport Canada’s Q&A page.
Do drivers still enter anything manually?
Show answer
Yes. Transport Canada says drivers still enter some information, such as on-duty time related to fueling, loading or unloading, while the ELD records driving time, odometer readings and engine power-up automatically.
